Disclaimer: Shadow Hearts and all related characters belong to Aruze, Nautilius and Yaddah! Yaddah!

(OoO) Material Wealth (OoO)

(o) Chapter 1 (o)

Alice sighed to herself and rubbed the tired aches from her back as she slowly walked back home. It was late afternoon, and the sun has almost set, casting long shadows of the delicate woman as she headed back to the little cottage she called home.

Her father was a tenant farmer on the vast lands owned by the Hyuga. Ever since her father died on that horse accident, Alice lived all alone. The master of the estate was kind enough to let her stay in the cottage, even refusing to accept the lease payment that she insists on paying. But Alice was too proud to accept charity from anyone, it's her only fault, she was so used in being the giver that being a receiver felt alien to her. So she hired herself as a servant in the Hyuga household, this way she won't be beholden to anyone for her food and shelter.

The aromatic scent of herbs greeted her as she walked past her small garden…rosemary, sage, basil. She longed to plant flowers too, but she needed vegetables to put in her table so instead, she planted carrots, cabbages, tomatoes and a bit of eggplant.

The little stone cottage with its thatched roof and oval windows held a rustic charm that soothes her senses. It was built for a small family, but since both her parents are gone, the house became more and more lonely, until the day she found the dog Buffoon. He is a huge white dog of unknown breed, just a few generations away from his wolf ancestors, but he's fiercely loyal and became her best friend and companion. Sure enough, just as Alice walked down the lane, she could hear Buffoon scratching the front door in anticipation of her return.

She kept the big mutt inside the house, because the neighbors were all afraid of him, even threatened to shoot him down.

As she drew nearer, Buffoon became more ecstatic, barking happily.

"Yes…yes I'm home." Alice called out laughing as Buffoon whined impatiently. "Settle down tenderfoot or you'll break down the door."

Alice fished for her key in her pocket, blowing away the long wisps of hair that fell over her eyes. Suddenly she felt her skin crawl, as if the air was all of a sudden charged with electricity. She didn't know why she felt uneasy, and with rather shaky hand she fitted the key to the door, even Buffoon was barking urgently, he must be sensing something out of the ordinary too.

But before she could turn the key, a sudden thump on the roof scared the wits out of her. She looked up automatically to see what fell on the cottage roof, only to see a creature from hell fall head first to the ground. The monster flapped his wings just in time to break his fall partially and he landed on the dirt without further aggravating his injuries.

Then before her startled eyes, the winged beast slowly changed shape, taking the form of a…man.

"Help…me." He said weakly, he got a bullet wound on his shoulder, another grazed his temple, barely missing vital parts, and blood gushed out making him weaker both from pain and loss of blood.

Alice knelt down before him, a part of her was deathly afraid of this man who was capable of transforming into a monster, while another part of her urged that he need help badly. Buffoon barked wildly, sensing that his mistress is no longer alone.

The soft side won, and closing her eyes, Alice murmured a few words of incantation, sweeping her hand which glowed with bright light over the unconscious man's wounds.

She healed his injuries without leaving scars, it was as if he had never been hurt in the first place. The bullet wound was the hardest to heal, for she had to will the metal to surface out of the wound first before closing the jagged edges of torn flesh.

With a sigh, Alice opened her eyes and studied him. Buffoon was madly shaking the door, demanding to be let loose.

"It's all right." She said to her dog as she stood up, still studying the man before her. His clothes were torn, leaving him exposed, but a man's privy isn't alien to her, for she had often assisted in sick rooms. Nevertheless, there was something unnerving seeing an unconscious man's body like this. Alice untied her apron and dropped it on his waist to cover his nakedness, it might be late for modesty, but the man needn't know about that when he wakes up. As if compelled by some unknown force, Alice continued to gaze down at him.

Handsome as sin. Was her first thought, Alice shook her head as if to clear her mind. He was magnificently built, all sleek muscles and healthy, tanned skin. She remembered the words her mother used to tell her long ago…Sin is always disguised in beauty, for if it were ugly what mortal would be tempted?

Hah! Alice thought, if sin indeed wore flesh and walked on earth, it would take this man's form. So devilishly handsome and virile enough to make any girl swoon, well not this girl! Alice thought rebelliously. Oh no, she's not going to fall for his sensuous lips and patrician nose and arrgh those heavy, thick eye lashes that would make any girl envious.

Well, she shouldn't just stand here while he shivers in cold, but he's too heavy for her to lift and Buffoon would no doubt love to chew his rump…but when she recalled how he had transformed into a monster, worried Alice. This man could be a danger to herself.

As it happened, the matter was taken completely out of her hands when the stranger on the ground stirred.

Well then, Alice thought in mutiny, if this creature decides to send me to the otherworld, I'll be sure to take a piece of him with me! Cautiously she brought out her pocket bible, her spells won't be that strong but it's better than nothing.

Eyes that were neither blue nor green but somewhere in between, met her violet gaze. Such beautiful eyes Alice thought idiotically, before she caught herself. Dark haired and bright eyes…a combination that has always appealed to her.

The man blinked several times, disoriented for a minute. Suddenly he sat up with a start. Then he turned his head upward to meet his benefactor.

The sight struck him dumb, of course he had seen women more beautiful than her…but as she stood there, grasping a small book to her chest, the setting sun behind her casting a red glow over her, making her hair shine as if on fire, while it enhanced the contrast of the creamy perfection of her skin with her radiant eyes…he felt something very much close to awe sweep over him.

He tried to swallow down the sudden constriction in his throat, unsuccessful to dislodge the knot, he tried again. He was aware that he must have looked stupid to the woman looking down at him, but he no longer cared.

He thought to himself that she was the prettiest thing he had ever laid eyes upon. With the palest shade of blond hair and the most radiant violet eyes, she looked like an angel—a most distracting angel! She wore a dress that she had obviously outgrown, the hem was too short and the puffy sleeves a bit tight at the cuffs. The material was faded nearly to an indistinct shade, it might have been blue once or violet.

Her skin is smooth, creamy and he got the irrational urge to feel for himself if her face would be as soft as he imagined, the insane impulse to know how her lips would feel like beneath his made the man shook his head mentally, appalled at his violent reaction, but not even that could dispel the erotic fantasies raging in his brain.

He didn't know where the crazy urges were coming, he never felt this way with a girl before, but he couldn't help looking at her, hungrily drinking in her features, making him feel the way a sapling must have felt when the sun's rays first touched it.

Alive.

Had it been so long since he had bedded down a woman?

And yet, he felt a strange protectiveness towards this girl, she who was a complete stranger to him. The lust he can deal with, but this insane tenderness that welled in his chest? What the hell is wrong with him?

"Well you certainly took your time." She said as she stood directly in front of him, looking intently in his face, making him feel as if he'd drown in her violet gaze.

Thinking that she meant his perusal on her person, the man scratched his head in embarrassment. "I…I'm sorry."

Alice shook her head. "Why? I only meant that it took you longer to wake up than the others I've helped get well."

"Oh." He said, not knowing what else to tell her. Then he noticed the white apron on his lap. It was the only thing that covered him. He felt heat suffuse his cheeks.

"Don't worry lady, I'm not about to make a meal out of you…"He said smiling ruefully, noticing her hesitant air.

For some reason, Alice found herself becoming comfortable with him, not that she trusts him completely…but her instincts told her that he won't harm her, and well at least her senses have never let her down so far…

"Who…who are you?" she asked, looking at his bright eyes.

The man opened his mouth to speak, then a look of utter confusion twisted his face. He opened his mouth again as if to speak only to hesitate once more.

"What's wrong? You can't remember your name?" Alice asked gently.

The man looked at her, horror filling his entire being as he realized he cannot recall anything about his past, his identity. "I…I'm sure I'll remember…just give me a sec."

"Your talisman." Alice pointed. "It might give you a clue."

Obediently he took off the talisman and examined it. The word 'Yuri' and '1890' were engraved at the back.

"Well, did you find anything?" Alice asked curiously.

He shook his head. "It says Yuri and 1890…but it doesn't mean anything." He said.

"Yuri" Alice said. "It must be your name…"

The man look completely lost that her heart clenched in sympathy.

"The wound that grazed your temple must have caused enough trauma for you to forget certain events. But I believe this amnesia is temporary, your memories might still return."

"Is it ok if I stay here for a while until my memory comes back?" The man called Yuri asked.

Alice looked at him, unsure how to respond. There's something unnerving about having a man with her…

"I'll work in your farm, I can build your fences, paint the house, replace the roof thatch…I can even plow your fields." He proposed in a winsome voice.

Alice thought about it for a moment. It would be nice to have a man to restore the place, she was awfully tempted to accept…but what would the good reverend say when he hears that she is harboring a stranger in her house and she all alone and…

"Please?" Yuri asked, his eyes pleading.

It tugged at her heartstrings. The thought of sending him away when he barely knew anything about himself could get him killed. Alice shuddered, the thought of being responsible for his death made the decision for her.

"Well…you are welcome to stay…" She said, smiling at the relief that washed his face making him look boyish. "But I can only offer you the loft in the barn for your sleeping quarters…I…I cannot let you into the house…I live all alone and…"

"You're not married?" Yuri interrupted, the knowledge that she isn't seemed to please him…making Alice shake her head.

"Thank you Ma'am." Yuri said in a heartfelt voice.

"Just call me Alice." She said, walking over to the door. "Stay there while I get you some clothes."

"Alice…" Yuri repeated, making her name sound like an endearment. The sound of his voice seemed to caress her, making her shudder.

Wondering what's wrong with her, Alice pushed the cottage door, deftly caught Buffoon before her dog could bound outside and chew him up.

I'm just hungry. Alice said to herself as she closed the door behind her, not looking at him, completely baffled with her reaction to this man she had just met. I just need to eat something that's all.

She didn't believe it.

To be continued...

(O)

A personal note:

Yes peeps if you bother to read this far, there's an issue I'd like to talk about.

A SH co author is discouraged with her lack of reviews, and no I'm not saying who. A little chat confirmed my fears that she decided to 'rest' for a while on her SH fics and concentrated on other genre where readers are more responsive.

This isn't the first time. Some years ago, I have a friend who's good with web designing and is another writer here on ffnet Her pen name is varon. Well on the last site she left on line, varon expressed her disappointment…to cut it short, she gave up her 'on line persona' as she put it because of lack of people's response. Hah! It sounds like she gave up, but the heart of the matter is, lack of review depressed her and eventually she decided to stop.
Well I guess it all depends on why you are doing it. I mean, I for one writes because it's an outlet for my obsession for Yurice and therefore the reviews are just additional boons for me, but not the backbone that keeps me writing. The thing is, seeing my work on line is like a reward on itself for me, because I'm doing an obsessive act of love. Yeah cheesy I know, but it's true hee hee! But I realize that it's not the same for everyone, like my two discouraged friends, who each have their own reasons for stopping…it saddens me. So please each time you read something, keep in mind the hard work the author had done. Leave a review, even if it's one liner. Heh! I don't care if you won't leave one for mine, like I said, I write out of love, reviews and lack thereof has nothing to do with it.

Now Fan arts, hee hee that's another thing. I'm a sucker for comments! Right now, I'm basking in delight over the warm welcome I received in Fanart Central, I just joined that site last month and well, not all of them leave comments either Ha Ha! But the thing is, they record the no. of page visits for every drawing so you'd know how many times your drawing was checked. So if you visit there say hello! If you have the time click on my homepage on the profile. There are lots of other fanarts over there, but sadly not too much SH. (Sniffle)